Machine for separating gold, &amp;c.



Patented Dot. 7, I902.

No. 7l0,738.

W. J. BARRON.

MACHINE FDR SEPARATlNG GOLD, 8L0.

(Application filed June 15, 1900.] (No Model.) 2 sheetssheet l.

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No. 710,738. Patented Oct. 7, I902. W. J. BARRON.

MACHINE FOR SEPARATING GOLD, 8w.

(Application filed June 15, 1900.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Shsat 2.

WITNLEIEEEII INVENTEIR UWMWW yflma/ I WW W 'I-us ATTIJBNEY.

UNTTn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER J. BARRON, OF BROOKLYN, NElV YORK.

MACHINE FOR SEPARATING GOLD, 84C.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 710,7 dated October1902- Anplioation filed June 15, 1900. Serial No. 20,387. (No model.)

To all whom, it ntrty concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER J. BARRON, a citizen of the United States,and a resident ot the borough of Brooklyn, city of New York,

in the county of Kings and State ofNew York, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Machines for Separating Gold, &c., of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to gold-separating and amalgamating machines. Thegold is usually separated from the gravel or sand in which it issometimes found by means of a sluice or trough made of boards and havingits bottom lined with riflles, which with or without the help ofquicksilver arrest and detain the particles of gold as they are bornealong by a cu rrent of water which is made to run through the sluice. Incertain gold-producing territories, such as Cape Nome, the spaceallotted to each operator is small, and lumber and labor are scarce andcostly, so as to render it unprofitable to build a sluice,and,moreover,the season is so short that the time cannot be spared forthe work of building. Moreover, if the operator should learn of a richerfield elsewhere he would have to abandon the sluice and erect another atthe new location or else forego working the latter.

One object of my invention is to produce a sluice which can be cheaplytransported to the gold-field and at once set up and operated withoutthe delay and expense attendant upon the construction of a fixed sluiceand which shall be portable, so that when one claim is exhausted orfound unprofitable the machine can be hauled away and at once put intooperation upon a new claim.

Another object is to impart to the sluice by means of steam or otherpower a slight rocking or shaking movement, so as to cause theseparation or amalgamation of the gold to take place more quickly andthoroughly than is possible in a fixed sluiceway.

My invention consists in certain features of construction andcombinations of devices, all as will be more fully hereinafter set forthand particularly pointed out in the concluding claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of agold-washing machine made in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is avertical cross-section of the upper trough or pan. Fig. 3 is a verticallongitudinal section taken about centrally of the machine, the lowerpart of the frame and the Wheels being omitted. Fig. 4 is a view of therighthand end of the machine, the motor and certain other parts beingomitted; and Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal section,on an enlargedscale, taken centrally of a steam-motor.

Throughout the several several views similarparts are indicated bysimilar numerals of reference.

The framework comprises four corner-stauchions 1, which are rigidlyunited by upper, middle, and lower side rails or bars 2 3 4, arranged oneach side of the machine, and cross-bars 5, three of the latterconnecting the rear and two connecting the front stanchions. At abouttheir middle portions the cross-bars 2 3 4 in each set are united by astrut 6. The several parts of the framework are united firmly by bolts7, which permit the frame to be partly or wholly disassembled or knockeddown to facilitate shipment. At their lower ends the stanchions areprovided with bearings 8 for axles 9 of broad wheels 10, by means ofwhich the machine may be readily rolled from one place to another. Thestanchions are inclined outwardly or diverged at their lower ends, thusimparting stability to the framework. All of the stanchions, side bars,and cross-bars are preferably made of angle-iron to render the frameworksufficiently stiff to sustain the moving parts without making themachine too heavy for convenient transportation. The side bars arepreferably inclined from the horizontal to correspond substantially withthe inclination of the several troughs or pans respectively carriedthereby.

The upper or left-hand ends of the top side bars 2 are prolonged beyondthe stanchions at 2 and are also provided with cross-bars 11. A hoppercomprising side plates 12, crossplates 13, and corner angle-irons 14 issupported between the extensions 2 and the cross-bars 11. Anoutwardly-inclined grid 15 is arranged at the inlet of the hopper toprevent large stones from entering the machine and to cause them to rolloff. The lower end of the hopper opens into the head of a long inclinedtrough or pan 16, between the sides of which extends a sheet-metal plateor screen 17, having perforations 18, said screen extending the entirelength of the pan and resting at its side edges upon ledges orangle-irons 19, which may be screwed to the sides of the pan a shortdistance below their upper edges. The head of the pan is preferablyclosed by a cross-plate 20. Riffies 21, arranged beneath the screen,extend the whole length of -the pan, and a wool blanket 22 is placedupon the bottom of the pan beneath the rifl'les. At the tail end of thepan the sides are prolonged at 16, and the screen-plate 17 is alsoprolonged and bent or curved downwardly at 23 and backwardly at 24, thusgiving the plate a hook-like appearance in cross-section, this portionof the plate being unperforated. Side plates 25 are combined with thebent or overhanging portion of the plate to form a h ood,which isgenerally designated as 26 and the purpose of which is to prevent lossor escape of gold-bearing sand from the machine as it passes out of thepan. The pan is stiffened by means of angle-irons 27, secured to theunder surface of the bottom thereof at its sides and extendingthroughout its length. The pan is pivotally supported near each end uponswinging bails 28, whose ends are pivoted at 29 in the longitudinal bars2 of the framework, said bars being preferably given the sameinclination as the pan, so that the bails may be duplicates. Theangle-irons 27 are notched at 30 to pivotally engage the lower portionsof the bails. By means of these bail-supports the pan may be given aslight rocking or swinging movement to aid or promote the separation ofthe gold from the gravel.

A chute 31, Fig. 4, is arranged beneath the rounded end of thescreen-plate 17 to receive the tailings from said screen and convey themaway from the machine, the upper end of the chute being hooked at 32over a horizontal arm 33 of a bracket fixed upon the framework and thelower end thereof being supported by a leg 34.

The tail end of the pan 16 opens into the head of a second pan 35, whichis reversely inclined or extends baekwardly and downwardly between thesides of the framework and is also provided with a screen 36, which hasfiner perforations than the screen 17 and projects into the hood 26beneath a short plate 37, fixed in said hood and constantly overlappingthe screen 36 during the endwise movements of either or both of thepans, the function of said plate 37 being to direct the gold-bearingsand onto the screen 36 as it passes down from the tail end of the firstpan, and so prevent loss thereof. At its tail end the screen 36 isextended and formed into a hood 38, which is similar to the hood 26 andover which the tailings from this screen escape. The pan is also swungupon bails 39, which are similar to the bails 28 and are hung in themiddle side bars 3, which may have substantially the same inclination asthe pan 35. Instead of riftles and blanket said pan is preferablyprovided with amalgamating-plates 40, each of which is provided at itshead with an upwardly-extending rib or lip to engage hooks 41, fixed tothe bottom of the pan, and at its tail end with a downturned supportingedge 42, which may be of such height as to enable said plates to liehorizontally or to raise their tail ends higher than their heads. Itwill be seen that by this arrangement said plates overlap one anotherand form steps, thus breaking the run and aiding the gold to settle.

The tail end of the pan 35 in turn empties into the head of a third pan43, which is reversely inclined to pan 35 and may be substantiallyparallel with the top pan 16 (the several pans having a zigzagarrangement) and which is generally constructed and fitted up like thepan 35. Its screen 44 is of still finer mesh than the screen 36, and thehead thereof projects into the hood 38 beneath a plate 45, arrangedtherein and having a similar function to the plate 37. Said pan 43 isswung upon bails 46, depending from the side bars 4 of the framework,and is provided with a series of stepped amalgamating-plates 40, similarto those arranged in the pan 35. Near its tail end a portion of thebottom of the pan 43 is perforated at 47 to permit the tailings from theamalgamating-plates to fall into a chute or flume 48, by which they areconveyed to the dump.

A steam-motor 49 is rigidly supported by and between the inclined sidebars 4 near their lower ends and preferably corresponds to the steam endof the well-known \Ioore steam-pump. The reciprocating piston-rod 50 ofthe motor has a pin-and-slot connection to a crank-arm 51, fixed upon atransverse horizontal rock-shaft 52, suitably journaled in the frameworkand carrying at its outer ends cross-arms 53. Links 54 (one at each sideof the machine) are pivotally connected at one end to said cross-arms 53at points just below the axis 52 and at the other end to ears 55, fixedupon the sides of the pan 43. Links 56 extend from a point above saidaxis 53 to a pivotal connection with ears 57, provided upon the middlepan 35 the point of connection of said links 56 being at a greaterdistance from the axis 53 than that of the links 54, so as to give themiddle pan a greater movement, said pans preferably moving in oppositedirections at each stroke of the piston. The upper pan 16 is connectedto the cross-arms or cranks 53 by means of links 58, which extend fromthe upper ends of said cross-arms to the lower ends of cross-arms 59,provided upon a transverse shaft 60, suitably journaled upon theframework, and links 61, which extend from the upper ends of saidcrossarms to ears 62, provided upon said upper pan. By means of thecross-arms 59 and links 62 the pan 16 is caused to move in an oppositedirection from that taken by the middle pan 35, or in the same directionas the movement of the lowest pan 43, the

movement of the top pan being, however, the greatest. If desired, thetwo lower pans may be caused to move in the same direction at eachstroke.

Gravel is fed into the hopper either by handshoveling ,by a centrifugalsand-pump, or by a belt-and-bucket elevator, together with two or threetimes the quantity of water for washing the gravel through the pans. Thegrid separates the large stones and causes them to roll oif. The mixtureof gravel and water falls on top of the first screen 17, the coarserpart or stones roll down and discharge over the hood 26 and into thechute 31, while the finer portion of the gravel, together with the blacksand,passes through the screen onto the riffles 21 and the wool blanket22. Here the black sand and the coarser particles of gold by reason oftheir great specific gravity settle down in the blanket and back of theriffies, the bulk of the valuable portion of the gravel being thusretained. The material which is washed over the riffies discharges ontothe second screen 36, and the coarser portion thereof washes down alongsaid screen and is discharged over the hood 38 into the dump, while thefiner material passes through the screen and washes over theamalgamating-plates 40, whereby much of the remaining value is retained.From the second pan the material which is washed over saidamalgamating-plates falls onto the third screen 44., which is of stillfiner mesh, and discharges the remaining coarse particles, while theremainder passes down through the screen onto the second set ofamalgamating-plates 40, thus thoroughly amalgamating the finer particles of the gold. The material is then ready for final discharge astailings through the screen or grid 47 and into the Home or chute as.

During the passage of the material through the machine the steam-motor19 gives the three pans a slight rocking or shaking move ment, somewhatresembling the action of a common hand-rocker. This movement causesseparation and amalgamation of the gold to take place more quickly andthoroughly than is possible in any style of fixed sluice-box.

It will thus be seen that I have contrived a light, portable, andcompact gold-washing machine which can be readily knocked down fortransportation and can be readily reassembled by anybody with ordinaryability and which can then be quickly hauled overland from place toplace, thus saving great expense and valuable time at the outset andenabling the work of washing out of the gold to be carried on atsuccessive locations without loss of time or considerable expense. Ifdesired, the machine can be partially knocked down and packed on thetrucks or wheels ready to be hauled over almost any kind of road,although it will be found that even a partial knocking down is generallyunnecessary. Preferably the pans have flaring sides, so that one may bepacked within the other for transportation. The machine is complete initself, practically separating or screening out the coarser gravel,catching the black sand and the large particles of gold in the firstpan, and thoroughly amalgamating the finer gold as it passes through theother two pans, thus extracting practically all the value from thegravel. The several parts are readily removable forgiving access to thewashed-out gold and to the amalgamating-plates, the latter also beinginstantly removable.

It will be observed that the pans are detachably supported upon theframework and have an endwise reciprocation relatively thereto, each panbeing mounted so as to move independently of the others. Each of thebails 28 may be regarded as a pair of links connected by a crossbar attheir lower ends. If desired, said cross-bars may be omitted and onlythe link portions retained, although I prefer to use the complete bailon account of its simplicity.

Many other changes in details of construction and arrangement may beresorted to witlr in the scope of the invention.

It will be observed that I have provided a gold-washing machine in theform of a vehicle and that said machine contains within itself all ofthe devices necessary for performing the work required, including eventhe presence of a motor in or upon the vehicle, which latter feature Ideem of considerable importance and advantage. The steam or other motivepower may be connected up with the motor from any suitable source ofsupply and in any desired manner.

l/Vhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A gold-washing machine comprising, in combination, an inclined troughor pan,valueretaining devices arranged therein, a screen arranged oversaid value-retaining devices, a revcrsely-inclined pan arranged belowthe first, a hood provided at the adjoining ends of the two pans, ascreen arranged in said second pan and projecting into said hood, theperforations of the second screen being finer than those of the first,and a series of amalgamating-plates arranged in said second pan.

2. A gold-washing machine comprising in combination a hopper 14: havingan inclined grid 15, an inclined pan 16 beneath said hopper and having alongitudinal screen 17 supported by ledges 19 in said pan, a cross-plate20 at the head of said pan, rifi'les 21 in said pan below said screen, ahood 26 at the tail of said pan, a reversely-inclined pan having ascreen 36 extending into said hood and having amalgamating-plates 4:0beneath said screen.

3. A gold-washing machine comprising in combination an inclined pan 16havinga longitudinal screen 17 supported by ledges 19 within said pan,riffies 21 in said pan below the screen, a hood 26 at the tail end ofsaid pan, a reversely-inclined pan 35 having a longitudinal screen 36extending into said hood, amalgamating-plates 40 in said pan 35 andbelow said screen, a hood 38 at the tail end of said screen 36, a pan4L3 inclined reversely to the pan 35, a screen in said pan 43 extendinginto said hood 26, and a series of amalgamating-plates below said screenin said pan 43.

4. A gold-Washing machine comprising in combination a hopper, aninclined grid 15 therein, an inclined pan 16 beneath said hopper, ascreen 17 in said pan, ledges 19 supporting said screen, cross-plate 20at the head of said pan, riffles 21 in said pan beneath said screen, ahood 26 at the tail end of said pan, a reversely-inclined pan 35 havinga screen 36 and amalgamating-plates 40 therebelow, ahood 38 at the tailend of the pan 35, a pan 43 inclined reversely to the pan 35, a seriesof amalgamating-plates in said pan 43, perforations 47in said pan 4:3,and a chute 48 leading from said pan.

5. In a gold-Washing machine, the combination of an inclinedreciprocable trough or pan, a second inclined trough or pan having ascreen so arranged that it may receive the material discharged from thetail end of the first pan, a hood and a plate carried by the first panand overlapping the head of said screen.

6. In a gold-Washing machine, the combination of the inclinedreciprocable trough or pan 16 having at the tail end thereof a hood 26,an inclined reciprocable pan 35 beneath the pan 16, a screen 36 Withinthe latter, and a plate 37 within the hood and overlapping said screen.

Signed at the borough of Manhattan, city of New York, in the county ofNew York and State of New York, this 11th day ofJune, A.D.

WALTER J. BARRON. Witnesses:

E. M. WELLS, K. V. DONOVAN.

